Brew York Festival has announced it will return to Madison Barracks Polo Fields in Sackets Harbor on August 24 with a wide variety of music, entertainments and activities.
Brew York is an all-ages event (kids under 12 free) and features two stages of live music, as well as beer, wine, & whiskey vendors, free tastings, food trucks, cornhole tournament, kids zone, and select craft/artisan vendors. The festival will return this summer and will continue to showcase different local, regional, and national acts.
Headlining this yearâs festival is Mike Powell & The Echo Sound, a five-head rock band from Syracuse formed in 2020. After forming in 2020, the band played all of 2021 under the name Wade, before later changing it to Mike Powell & The Echo Sound. In 2023, the band released their debut album, Plastic Spoon Honeymoon, which was recorded in Utica.
Also, headlining is Annie In The Water, a Indie rock band rooted in limitless acoustic guitars. Over time, listeners can experience rock, funk, reggae, hip hop, soul, dancebeat, and jam with enjoyable melodies driven by guitars and synthesizers over a ground-shaking rhythm section thanks to their songwriting and versatility. Comprised of members Brad Hester on lead vocals and rhythm,, Michael Lashomb on lead guitar and vocals, Josh West on drums and vocals, Chris Meier on bass and vocals, Matt Richards on keys and vocals, and Brock Kuca on percussion and vocals, each of their performance is and exhilarating and everlasting adventure.
The Brew York Festival lineup also includes Sophistafunk, Sydney Irving & The Mojo, Teno2, When We Were Thirty, Undefeated, Josh Cox & The Rattlesnakes, Bread & Circuses, Middle Name Quince, The Rollin’ Rust, Edge & Babi Lou Wi The Basement Crew Jake Desormo, Bull Rush Bay, and Rachel Dara.
Proceeds and event donations will be split this year between ROCC Charity (Rock Out Childhood Cancer) and Local Volunteer Fire and EMS. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.
Vicki Peterson, known for her role as the lead guitarist and vocalist of the iconic all-female rock band The Bangles, joined her husband, John Cowsill, drummer and vocalist for The Beach Boys, for a memorable performance at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame. Additionally, the duo’s show marked a poignant tribute to John’s late brothers, Bill and Barry Cowsill, with a selection of songs from their upcoming album, Long After the Fire. The project, which features songs written by Bill and Barry Cowsill, is set for release in early 2025.
Vicki Peterson: From Bangles to New Beginnings
Vicki Peterson’s journey in the music industry began with The Bangles in the early 1980s. Formed in Los Angeles, the band became one of the most successful female-led rock groups of the decade. Moreover, with hits like “Manic Monday,” “Walk Like an Egyptian,” and “Eternal Flame,” The Bangles carved out a significant place in the annals of pop and rock music. Peterson’s intricate guitar work and harmonious vocals were key elements in the band’s distinctive sound, which blended 1960s garage rock with the melodic sensibilities of the 1980s.
Following the band’s initial disbandment in 1989, Peterson pursued various musical projects, including working with the Continental Drifters and releasing solo material. However, the Bangles reunited in 1999, continuing to perform and record, allowing Peterson to revisit and expand upon the band’s musical legacy. Her collaboration with John Cowsill on Long After the Fire represents a new chapter in her career, blending her musical past with new inspirations and partnerships.
John Cowsill: Carrying the Legacy of The Beach Boys and The Cowsills
John Cowsill’s musical roots run deep. As a member of The Cowsills, a family band that rose to fame in the late 1960s, John was part of hits like “The Rain, The Park & Other Things” and “Hair.” Similarly. the Cowsills’ music was characterized by rich vocal harmonies and a pop sensibility that mirrored the era’s optimistic sound. In 2000, John joined The Beach Boys as their drummer and vocalist, a role he has embraced for the past 23 years. In addition, his dynamic performances have helped sustain the band’s legendary status in the music world.
A Heartfelt Tribute and Personal Insights
After their performance, I had the opportunity to speak with both Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill. Peterson shared insights into the couple’s evolving musical chemistry, noting that each night of their collaboration feels fresh and enjoyable. Her favorite track from their new project is a soulful song she sings, along with a timeless piece written by Barry Cowsill. She also highlighted the significant contributions of Paul Allen, a multi-instrumentalist from Nashville, who played various instruments and produced the album.
In my conversation with John Cowsill, he introduced their new project, Long After the Fire, a labor of love that has been in the works for the past few years. The project faced delays due to John’s commitments with The Beach Boys and Vicki’s touring schedule. Much of the recording took place at their home studio allowing the couple to work closely and intimately on the music.
John discussed the challenges they faced in navigating the modern music industry, such as understanding ISWC codes, ISNI numbers, and metadata management. He expressed concern that without these codes, they risk losing revenue from their music. The complexities of securing consistent publishing were also a hurdle, as companies can be bought or absorbed, changing the original agreements.
Looking Forward
As Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill prepare to release Long After the Fire in early 2025, their performance at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame offered a glimpse into a project that honors the legacy of John’s late brothers while showcasing the couple’s unique musical bond. Furthermore, their dedication to preserving the music of Bill and Barry Cowsill, combined with their passion for creating new sounds, promises to make this album a standout addition to their respective careers.
Hailing from Amsterdam, New York, three-piece genre-bending instrumental band, TV Doctors, is a group on the rise. Hot off the heels of their most recent live album earlier this year, TV Doctors continue to make their mark with their unique and intoxicating sound. The upstate trio’s passion for their craft has led them on a mission to play some of the most unpredictable and entertaining live shows in the region.
Photo Credit: Ed Conway
Who Are TV Doctors?
Comprised of Evan Conway, Bob Morris, and Josh Witmer, TV Doctors was informally created just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. After Witmer reached out to Morris, whom he had previously been in a band with to ask about the possibility of forming a new band, Morris agreed and also recommended his bass-playing friend, Conway, as another addition. With that, the trio of TV Doctors was formed. The three only initially jammed for fun, but that all changed once the pandemic went into full swing. With all of them having nothing else to do, Conway cleaned out his garage, and the three played together in opposite corners at every opportunity they got. The name of TV Doctors came about from Morris, who kept on seeing celebrities like Doctor Phil and Doctor Oz whenever he would turn on the TV and thought it would be an entertaining theme to roll with.
Once Conway, Morris and Witmer learned to play as a unit, everything else for fell into place for TV Doctors. “It was like zero effort. Playing together was just a fun thing to do every week, and then it kind of took off,” Witmer said. In fact, one of the only dilemmas any of them had about the band was how to describe the music they make. On their website, they categorize themselves as a mix of psychedelic rock, funk, soul, dub, beats, and noise, but the walls between genres often blur, making a truly one-of-a-kind sound. With the trio’s list of musical inspirations including Frank Zappa, King Crimson, Brian Eno, James Brown, J Dilla and the Wu-Tang Clan, TV Doctors’ refusal to conform to one genre only makes sense.
Music and Performance Styles
Although TV Doctors have a laundry list of styles they dabble in, the most unique aspect of their performances is completely unrelated. All TV Doctors shows are a mixture of pre-planned and improvised songs, making no two shows alikeâone of the many reasons that seeing them live once is not enough. During live shows, the band will play something that they have practiced before, but if one of them gets a fun idea of where to take the track, they will do so, and the rest will go along.
“It’s like a launch pad for ADHD,” Conway noted. While playing for keen-eared crowds improvisationally may sound like a stressful situation, the doctors take the challenge in stride. “I have absolutely no nerves going into a show with this band,” said Conway. “It’s kind of like a Ouija board, actually. We’re one brain now. Eventually, we’re going to get the message out.”
As the pandemic slowly subsided in 2022 and 2023, TV Doctors began playing more and more live shows. In March of 2022, the trio released their first live project: recordings from a set they had at Rare Form Brewery in Troy. Since then, the band has put out three more live albums, with the most recent being Live at Wolf Hollow Brewing Co., which was released this past February.
An Improved TV Doctors
As a result of the experience TV Doctors have racked up through practices and public shows, they have gotten more and more comfortable handling their on-the-fly live decision-making skills. “I think that we’re getting to a spot where we can play back and forth. Those moments where things explode and get crazy are super fun, but they’re a little bit more strategic than they used to be,” Witmer said. Conway then added, “We’re also spending more time actually writing the songs. Sometimes we’ll play through something [in practice] and be like, ‘No, that kind of sucks. Let’s drop that. Let’s try this other thing the next time around.’”
TV Doctors are almost always working on something new, and now is no different. Conway and Witmer noted that one of their goals for the near future is to make a short video package that coincides with an album release. Knowing the band’s creativity and consistency, whatever their next project turns out to be is guaranteed to be equally fun and mind-bending.
For anyone looking to experience the doctors live, multiple shows in Gloversville, Schenectady and Albany are coming up in the next couple of months. Keep up with TV Doctors through their Facebook, Instagram and X accounts, and stream their music here.
See below for more information on their upcoming live shows.
Upcoming Shows
9/13 – Glove Theater – 42 N Main St – Gloversville, NY
10/25 – Wolf Hollow Brewing – 6882 Amsterdam Rd – Schenectady, NY
For the third time in their career, Phish performed at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, opening up a three-night run on Friday, August 9. With the remnants of Tropical Storm Debbie making its way through the Mid-Atlantic region and drenching much of New York State over Thursday and Friday, Phish fans planned for the worst and were rewarded for their efforts, with only lingering sprinkles during the show.
Nearing the end of their Summer Tour with only Bethel, their Mondegreen festival and four nights in Colorado left on their schedule, Phish has been rolling from the Northeast to the Midwest, dropping lengthy jams in unexpected spots, bringing new material to fans off Evolve, and inviting Billy Strings to the stage in Grand Rapids, MI. Now in Bethel, the band has their sites set on building towards their 11th festival, an event always ripe with surprises and leveled up improvisation.
With a pair of ASL interpreters just off stage right, Set 1 began with instrumental (and GRAMMY-nominated) “First Tube,” a rare opener normally found in a late-second set slot, but nevertheless an energetic way to start the show. A lengthy “No Man in No Man’s Land” followed, always a great sign that the band is dialed in and wants to get down to business right away.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QnFL5wdFFg
A spacey and wandering “My Friend, My Friend” was a first set highlight, clocking in at more than 18 minutes and another example of Phish taking more of their catalog down the improv route than in past years. A late first set “2001” was a treat, dipping into an always welcome “Taste” before closing the set with “Character Zero.”
Opening the second set with “The Wedge” could have launched the Rift track to new heights, but it served as a buffer song before the big jam of the night, “Tweezer.” A vehicle for jams in the second set since the 90s, “Tweezer” found a few separate jams (including “There is a Mountain” by Donovan) over the course of 24 minutes, coming full circle before dipping into the Evolve track “Pillow Jets,” which took a dark psychedelic turn mid-way through before returning to “Tweezer,” as one does mid-second set.
Finding its way into “Piper,” this brief “Tweezer” return birthed a top notch “Piper,” found itself turning back into “Tweezer” briefly before the Rolling Stones’ “Shine a Light” provided an exultant breather with the set wrapping up with a thorough “Chalk Dust Torture.” A triple encore featuring songs from across the band’s history was a delightful surprise to the evening, starting with Junta track “Big Black Furry Creature From Mars,” Farmhouse’s “Gotta Jibboo” and Big Boat’s “More.” With two more nights to go, the bar is set for Phish to exceed over this weekend and next.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ORBkMm_9lY
Phish – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, Bethel, NY – Friday, August 9, 2024
Soundcheck: My Soul, Dinner and a Movie, Waves, Tequila x2, Jam Set 1: First Tube, No Men In No Man’s Land, Cavern, My Friend, My Friend[1], Bug, Julius, Also Sprach Zarathustra > Taste, Character Zero Set 2: The Wedge, Tweezer, Pillow Jets -> Tweezer -> Piper -> Tweezer > Shine a Light, Chalk Dust Torture Encore: Big Black Furry Creature from Mars, Gotta Jibboo > More [1] No “Myfe” ending.
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Set 1: Back on the Train, Sample in a Jar, Hey Stranger, Dinner and a Movie, Halley’s Comet > Sand, Gumbo > Maze, Weigh, Cities > Run Like an Antelope
Set 2: Wilson > Down with Disease[1] -> Waves > Twist > Kill Devil Falls > Beneath a Sea of Stars Part 1 -> Backwards Down the Number Line > Ghost > Tweezer Reprise
Encore: Wading in the Velvet Sea > Runaway Jim
[1] Unfinished.
Trey teased Call to the Post at the end of Weigh and The Line during Antelope. DWD was unfinished.
Sunday, August 11, 2024
Set 1: I Never Needed You Like This Before, 46 Days, Bathtub Gin, Fikus, Theme From the Bottom > Timber (Jerry the Mule), Human Nature, Limb By Limb, Axilla > Sigma Oasis
Set 2: Buried Alive > AC/DC Bag > Fuego > Golden Age -> Simple, Life Saving Gun, Harry Hood
Encore: A Life Beyond The Dream, Say It To Me S.A.N.T.O.S.
Fikus was performed for the first time since November 7, 1998 (801 show gap). Mike teased Fikus in AC/DC Bag.
Hailing from the city of New Paltz, indie trio Kale is the latest outfit to make its way into the scene.
Kale • Jack Salzman – bass/vocals • Sam Kirschner – drums • Brendan Bartow – keys/vocals
For the last two years, Kale has been cementing themselves as a live band fans will never forget. With a unique combination of indie rock, pop, and electronica, the trio has dedicated themselves to the music that brought them all together in the first place.
Kale’s musical influences come from an array of bands – their love of improvisational live music came from growing up listening to the Grateful Dead and Phish. Jazz artists such as Dexter Gordon and Dave Brubeck, while the songwriting and danceable electronic/indie vibe stems from bands such as MGMT, Empire of the Sun, M83, Bombay Bicycle Club, and the Killers, are all highly influential on the band’s musical style.
Kale is made up of three incredibly close friends; Jack Salzman (bass/vocals), Brendan Bartow (keys/vocals), and Sam Kirschner (drums). The trio formed amidst the plethora of outfits that emerged from the college town, which was the perfect atmosphere to cement their electrifying and fun-loving performance style. They released their first studio single, “Everybody’s Falling,” in October 2023, followed by “Pave the Way” in May 2024, and were met with almost immediate praise from fans who have been waiting since their 2022 live debut.
Kale’s music is meant to emulate exactly that of their environment: the feeling of a fun and exciting night out with friends in a tangible, musical form. With their focus on the performance aspect, combined with their stellar musicianship and creative influences, it’s no surprise that Kale became a regular topic of conversation within the college student community.
Within the last two years of Kale’s emergence, their live shows have garnered a reputation as a nonstop thrill. Their inspiration from electronica music is very much alive and displayed in their shows, demonstrated through strobe lights, elaborate visuals, and contagious energy sure to make any crowd dance. Kale is no stranger to diversity within their music, either, keeping crowds entertained with Bartow and Salzman’s characteristically indie-style vocals.
Kale performing at the Toyota Music Den Stage at Mt. Snow in Dover, VT
In the early days of the band, Kale wasted no time in putting themselves out there and taking over the stage. The band has opened for notable indie acts such as The Disco Biscuits, Eggy, the Q-tip Bandits, and Twiddle, and even dipped their toes onto festival stages like the Catskill Mountain Jubilee, Summer Jam, and Circus of Life.
While the band is working on their debut album, it is clear that Kale’s party days in New Paltz are far from over. Kale has no plans on stopping their fantastic tour de force, with a new single, “The Beautiful Game,” coming on August 30 and a debut EP coming on November 1, featuring eight original studio tracks. In the meantime, the trio is supporting Dopapod at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, for their final tour on September 13. Tickets are available here.
To check out Kale’s music, visit this link. Stay tuned for more updates, because when Kale is in town, the party never stops.
JAM, a documentary about the well-known 2004 traffic jam that happened due to masses of phans driving through Vermont to catch the at-the-time last Phish show ever, was released to the public on August 5, nearly 20 years after the legendary event.
Releasing almost exactly 20 years after Phish’s farewell show in Vermont, JAM is a 30-minute documentary short film chronicling the epic 2004 traffic jam in Vermont, where tens of thousands of Phish fans struggled through days of gridlock, resulting in one of the most profound traffic jams in history.
When Phish announced that their August 2004 shows in Coventry, Vermont, would be their last ever, it was a no-brainer to expect record levels of fan turnout. What wasn’t expected, though, was the severe rain that ravaged Vermont throughout the weeks leading up to the shows. Even with the rain, thousands and thousands of fans still made the trip to Coventry, but another issue arose: those making the trip directly caused one of the most iconic traffic jams ever. The overwhelming number of cars backing up Interstate 91 eventually reached a dead halt, which led to many fans simply leaving their cars on the side of the road and trekking to the venue.
For those who were able to get there, the grounds were so covered in deep and thick mud, making everyday tasks like eating and cleaning oneself a massive challenge. But despite all of the adversities Phishheads faced, thousands still showed out, making one of the most iconic weekends not only in rock history, but in all of music history.
JAM features on-camera interviews with attending fans, including Aron Ralston (renowned outdoorsman and motivational speaker), retired Vermont State Police Seargent Bruce Melendy (key figure in managing the crisis), concert promoter Dave Werlin, spokesman Adam Lewis and Matt Maxwell of Maxwell’s Neighborhood Farm (concert venue).
The film is based on extensive footage recorded by Alex Daltas, a longtime Phish fan since age 16. His video footage is believed to be the most comprehensive account of the traffic jam, enhanced by retrospective interviews and archival footage collected over two decades. Witness history’s most powerful traffic story, taking you back to a time before smartphones when the love of music burned brightest.
JAM debuted with advance screenings at the Coventry Community Center on August 2nd and 3rd and released fully to the public on August 5. JAM is available to buy and rent here.
Asbury Park, New Jersey’s Dogs In A Pile have announced a slate of tour dates for the Fall. The tour begins with two shows at Philadelphia’s Brooklyn Bowl on October 25 and 26 and will see the band touring extensively throughout the Midwest and Southeast as they continue their upwards ascent in the jamband music scene. A presale for tickets is currently underway with the general on sale date set for Friday, August 10 with VIP packages available for some shows.
(Art by: Joe Winograd)
This Fall Tour announcement comes on the heels of a busy summer for Dogs In A Pile that saw them headline multiple shows in Colorado, play several festivals, and jump on the road with Andy Frasco & The U.N. and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. The band will now continue to surge forward with more Colorado shows scheduled before ending the tour in the Southeast in late November. They’re scheduled to play Asheville NC’s Salvage Station on November 19, Nashville TN’s Basement East on November 21, and the show at Atlanta GA’s Terminal West on November 22 is set to be the tour closer.
As a burgeoning musical act beginning to gain nationwide notoriety, Dogs In A Pile is making a conscious effort to develop their fan base and build a unique culture around the band by organizing pre-show meetups for their beloved fanbase, the Dog Pound. So far, significant gatherings have occurred in cities like their hometown of Asbury Park, Denver (CO), Vail (CO), Austin (TX), and Woodstock (NY). A running schedule of future meetups can be found at dogsinapileofficial.com/dogpound.
Dogs In A Pile at The Mishawaka in Bellvue, CO on June 19, 2024 (Photo: Joe Lugo)
In addition to adding to their busy 2024 tour schedule, the band has also made a concerted effort this year to significantly bolster their YouTube channel with video livestreams and archival full-show releases. Consistent soundboard releases have accompanied their video efforts and most often have appeared on trusted streaming platforms nugs.net and Bandcamp within 24-hours of a show ending.
See the full listing of Dogs In A Pile Fall Tour dates below and for tickets and to and learn more, visit dogs-tour.com.
DOGS IN A PILE FALL TOUR
10/25 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia 10/26 – Philadelphia, PA – Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia 10/29 – St. Louis, MO – Atomic Cowboy 10/31 – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall 11/1 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co. 11/2 – Dallas, TX – Deep Ellum Art Co. 11/6 – Buena Vista, CO – Surf Hotel 11/8 – Fort Collins, CO – Aggie Theatre 11/9 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
11/12 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown 11/13 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line 11/15 – Milwaukee, WI – Vivarium 11/16 – Chicago, IL – Chop Shop 11/17 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Stache 11/19 – Asheville, NC – Salvage Station 11/21 – Nashville, TN – Basement East 11/22 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
While the origin of Phish is firmly rooted in Vermont, the band’s history in neighboring New York runs almost as deep. The band made the slow and natural progression from private parties and gigs at frat houses, to small clubs and theaters, later graduating to full scale amphitheaters, to now selling out Madison Square Garden on a regular basis. Phish may have been born and raised in the Green Mountain State, but its more recent history is firmly entrenched in the Empire State.
photo by Dave Decrescente
It took a few years after the band’s inception, but Phish finally waded into New York waters in 1987 with a now-legendary show at Ian McLean’s Farm in Hebron, NY on August 21, 1987 with three sets of music that included the first known performance of their cover of “Hold Your Head Up.” Phish would continue to make New York a regular part of their touring schedule in the early ’90s, with 1992 featuring more NY shows than any other year to date.
Lower show totals would follow in the late ’90s and early aughts as the band started to tour globally and play shows all throughout the country. But the “3.0” era of Phish has seen an influx of NY shows, primarily due to the renovations done to Madison Square Garden which has made The World’s Most Famous Arena the band’s preferred choice for multiple night New Year’s Eve runs. And the modern day pinnacle was set in 2017 with Phish’s legendary Baker’s Dozen Run of thirteen shows over three weeks which served as the foundation for “17 (shows) in ’17” at MSG which also included a 4-night New Year’s run.
In 2023, Phish came fairly close to matching this number with 14 shows spread throughout New York State which included another 11 at MSG. To date, Phish has played 288 total shows in The Empire State, so NY show #300 is certainly on the horizon.
Photo via Marshall Chasan, frame via phrames.com
To showcase this long-standing and still evolving relationship between Phish and New York, NYS Music presents our own reference guide, a map of every show the band has played in the Empire State. In the same vein as our Grateful Dead Map, this will link to each and every article published here with our own take on the show or appearance.
Big thanks to Alex Grosby of the Phishsonian Institute for helping us map out all of the New York venues and locations you see below.
Fresh on the heels of their wildly successful Why We Dance Tour and its ongoing follow up tour, The Disco Biscuits are keeping the momentum going and have announced a run of shows in the Fall.
The shows will take place predominantly in the Northeast, but feature a Halloween run at The Caverns in Tennessee. The band will play Brooklyn Steel on November 9 with the next show scheduled for Bearsville Theatre in Woodstock on November 13.
The Fall Tour also includes The Disco Biscuits making return appearances to The Palladium in Worcester, MA on November 15 and the State Theatre in Portland, ME on November 16. The tour also rolls through Connecticut twice with shows in both Norwalk (November 14) and Hartford (November 20-21). And New York continues to get plenty of attention as well as the tour concludes with the final three shows here. The band will play Rome Capitol Theatre for the first time on November 22 before concluding the tour with two shows at Buffalo’s Town Ballroom where the band never seems to disappoint.
Both General Admission and VIP tickets for the Fall Tour go on sale tomorrow at 12 pm ET. The VIP package for this set of shows includes early entry to each venue with early access to merch, a pre-show private soundcheck an group photo with the band as well as a commemorative show ticket instead of the usual poster and a laminate. There’s also still one yet to be announced show for this tour on November 7 that falls between ones at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore and the aforementioned Brooklyn Steel show. For tickets and more information on the band’s 2024 plans, visit discobiscuits.com.
Disco Biscuits Fall Tour Schedule
10/30 – Madison Theater – Covington, Ky. 10/31-11/2 – The Caverns – Pelham, Tenn. 11/3 – French Broad River Brewery – Asheville, N.C. 11/6 – Rams Head Live – Baltimore 11/7 – TBA 11/9 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, N.Y. 11/13 – Bearsville Theatre – Woodstock, N.Y. 11/14 – District Music Hall- Norwalk, Conn. 11/15 – The Palladium – Worcester, Mass. 11/16 – State Theatre – Portland, Maine 11/17 – Paramount Theatre – Rutland, Vt. 11/20-21 – Infinity Hall – Hartford, Conn. 11/22 – Rome Capitol Theatre – Rome, N.Y. 11/23-24 – Town Ballroom – Buffalo, N.Y.
On September 20, Wonderland Forest in Lafayette, NY, will be home to LonCon, a two-day music festival featuring numerous rocking jam bands. This year, LonCon will also see the debut of newly formed Big Shrimp, ready to stun crowds with new faces.
Formerly known as Baked Shrimp, the group has decided to take on a new name, and of course, a new style. Hailing from Long Island and originally forming in 2017, Baked Shrimp took on the world as a trio, made up of Jared Cowen (Guitar/Vocals), Scott Reill (Bass/Vocals), and Jager Soss (Drums/Vocals). Their funk style brought them to festivals and shows all over the United States and Canada, and even provided supporting acts for artists like the Disco Biscuits, Pink Talking Fish, Aqueous, Dopapod, and more.
In 2021, Baked Shrimp formed LonCon, a two-day music festival featuring hundreds of artists over the course of three years. Up until recently, they performed as Baked Shrimp, but are now ready to change it up and announce their new and improved act.
Now known as Big Shrimp, the band has taken on not just a new name, but a new sound and even a new member. Joining the Big Shrimp crew is Matt Takesh, their brand new keyboard player.
“I am so amped up to have Matt Takesh with us behind a batch of keyboards, including a real B3!” says guitarist and vocalist Jared Cowen. “He and Max Perrotti have been a pure joy to bring into our world of music, and we can’t wait to see what this lineup looks and sounds like on the stage.”
This year, LonCon has moved to a new location, Wonderland Forest in Lafayette. Surrounded by beautiful scenery and dozens of hiking trails, attendees can choose to camp as close or as far from the festival as they’d like, and take in amazing hiking trails, scenic overlooks, waterfalls, and more.
The full lineup of LonCon is to be released soon, with performances from Mihali, Big Shrimp x2, Aliens Among Us (ft. Ben Atkind (ElephantProof/formerly Goose), Ryan Dempsey (Twiddle), Sam Lucid (Dogs in a Pile), Jared Sage Cowen (Big Shrimp), Gantzer, Sophistafunk, Annie in the Water, and more already announced.
“Having his and our friends and family be with us for what we continue to want to be an annual event, is so special, and inspires us to continue to want to grow our community,” says Cowen. The highly anticipated debut album for Big Shrimp is set to release in the Spring of 2025, following an incredible festival.
For more information on LonCon, visit the festival’s website.
